Wool-cleaning machine.



J. R. MILSON. WOOL CLEANING MACHINE APPLICATION FILED JULYB, 1912.

Patented June 30,1914.

Johz R Mz'Zs on.

eAw MW :OLuMBu PLANOORAPH CO.,WASHINGTON, n. c.

'J. R. MILSON.

WOOL CLEANING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 8, 1912.

1,101,562., Patented June 30, 1914.

I 2 SHEETS-$153111 2.

Fig". 2.

I IHHINIIIHIIMIIIHH UNTTED STATES I PATENT OFFTQE.

JOHN R. MILSON, 0F WATERTOWN, MAS SACI-IUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO L. & M. WOOL CLEANING COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSA- CHUSET'IS.

WOOL-CLEANING MACHINE.

Application filed July 8, 1912.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN R. NII'LSON, a? citizen of the United States, and resident of Watertown, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tool- Cleaning Machines, of which the following in a specification.

This invention relates to wool cleaning machines, and has for its ob ect the provision of mechanical means for unraveling, unwinding and separating 0r stripplng the wool from the burs or other foreign matter by a comparatively gentlelpulling process without breaking or otherwlse lIlJIlIlIlg the so mixing and be deposited into a separate receptacle, if desired.

The usual method of removing burs from wool is to treat the same chemically to carbonize or destroy the burs. But the chemicals used in this process also act on the wool destroying the strength and elasticity of the fibers rendering them brittle. Another method of removing the bur from the wool is by the use of the bur-picker. This machine has a striking or beating action which breaks and shortens the fibers, greatly reducing their value. By the employment of my improved devlce for unraveling or unwinding the wool from the bur the two can be completely separated without in any way destroying the length or strength of the fibers, or in any way reducing the value of the wool.

It is found in practice that the washing of the wool and removing the grease and oil therefrom prior to removing the burs, has a tendency to cause the wool to mat, and felt the fibers more closely together and more deeply into the bur prickers, render ing it much more difficult to remove the wool therefrom.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 30, 1914.

Serial No. 708,134.

An important feature of my invention is that with my improved machine I am enabled to operate upon and remove the burs and other foreign matter from the wool before it has been washed. As a result, the wool fibers which have retained their soft and elastic qualities and their maximum strength, may be pulled, straightened and more readily removed from the bur without being broken.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Of the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of the machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an end elevation, sectioned on line 22 of Fig. 1 showing the door through which the shorter staple wool is deposited. Fig. is an enlarged end View showing the portion of the apron, feeding-in rolls and separating roll. Fig. l is a greatly enlarged plan in section through the intersecting portion of the feeding-in rolls. Fig. 5 is a plan view showing a portion of the stripper roll 30 and the dolfer roll 38 and means for moving said latter into and out of engagement with the former.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates a conveyer belt mounted on drivin rollers 2 and 3 for the purpose of introducing the wool to the feeding-in rolls 4 and 5, one of which rolls is preferably smaller than the other. The first or smaller roll 4 may be of steel or other suitable material, and is provided with grooves or pockets 6 extending longitudinally of the axis of said roll, and of a depth sufficient to receive and restrain burs and other foreign matters mixed in with the wool. Between the grooves are elevations or ridges 7 projecting somewhat backward opposite to the direction of rotation of the roll. To form teeth on said ridges they are intersected by notches 8 extending circumferentially of the roll, but preferably are of less depth than said grooves. The second or larger roll 5' referred to may be similar to the smaller roll, with the exception that the longitudinal grooves and teeth have less depths than those of the smaller roll. The teeth of the rolls 4, 5 form complemental recesses thereby providing pockets to loosely restrain the burs. These rolls are arranged so that the toothed ridges of one roll partially project into the grooves of the otherroll, this relation being maintained by intermeshing gears (not shown) fast on the shafts of said rolls. As a result said rolls are driven at the same peripheral speed with their adjacent surfaces running inthe same direction. The wool is fed from this con veyer belt to and between these rolls, and in the course of its transit the toothed ridges of the larger roll tend to press burs and other matters mixed with the wool through and toward the surface of the wool and into the longitudinal pocket grooves 6 of the smaller roll. The burs and other foreign matter when thus dislocated from the main body or web of wool will drag some wool fibers with them and have Wool fibers wrapped on or adhering thereto. An object of the invention is to mechanically entirely remove the wool fibers adhering to the burs and other matters without breaking or injuring the fibers. Located directly beneath these feeding-in rolls is a separating roll 9 considerably larger than either of said rolls, and provided with circumferential grooves 10 and with fiat topped forwardly projecting teeth 11 just missing those on the feeding-in rolls. The separating roll may be driven in any suitable manner, but at a speed considerably faster than that of the feeding-in rolls, for example, about twice that of said rolls. The long wool fibers, or main body of the wool, fed between the feeding-in rolls will be caught by the teeth of the more rapid separating roll and be drawn, pulled or drafted from said feedingin rolls, the angle of their teeth being such as to hold or restrain the wool and prevent it from being drawn off too readily, thereby separating the layer or web of wool and unwrapping the long fibers from the burs which are held in the pockets of the smaller roll t. In other words, the separator roll, owing to its more rapid rotation and to the fact that the bur projects slightly above the pocket of the smaller feeding-in roll, will catch, draw or comb the fibers from the bur retained in such pocket, the fibers being drawn between the teeth on the longitudinal ridges between the pockets. In the course of this. operation the bur is loosely retained and may revolve more or less in its pocket and thereby facilitate the unwinding and removal of wool fibers from the bur. The continued rotation of the smaller feeding-in rolls will transfer the bur to the inner surface of the layer on the separator roll and the bur will then be carried along therewith.

In order to remove the wool from the separating roll a large stripper roll 11 has been provided which has teeth similar to those on the separating roll 9 and the adjacent surface runs in the same direction as that of said separating roll, but at a very much higher speed, about twice as fast. The teeth of this stripper roll engage and lift the web or layer of wood from the "said separating roll but the burs owing to the action of the feeding-in rolls having been carried, pressed or forced to the surface of the layer are now brought to the outer surface of the web of this roll from which they project slightly so that they may be engaged and removed by the smaller bur removing roll 12 which is located on the lower side of said stripper roll. The cleaned wool, now free from the burs, is carried forward to be engaged by the collector or carrier cylinder 20 presently described. This said bur removing roll 12 is provided with longitudinal bars or blades spaced apart forming grooves between them, said blades being pitched slightly forward in the direction of its rotation, its engaging surface running in the opposite direction to that of said stripper roll. The action of this bur removing roll, owing to its rapid rotation, which is preferably more than three times that of the stripper, is tostrike, beat, swipe, or pick the burs which are now on the surface of the web or layer and remove them from the wool. After the bur has been forced between these blades it is carried around and again acted upon by the second stripper presently described, and dragged over the series of grid bars 13 against each of which it is knocked successively to further loosen up the remaining fibers on the bur and also knock the dust and dirt therefrom. As the burs now emerge, stripped of nearly all of their fibers, they are struck downward by the bur guard roll 14 and thrown down between the inner and outer guard blades 2% and 25 onto the lower apron 15 hereinafter described.

It is found in practice that when the blades of the bur removing roll 12 strike the burs they are naturally forced down between said blades and of course a small quantity of short fibers of wool still adhere to the outer surface thereof. In order to remove a portion of this remaining wool from the bur I have provided a second or small slow rotating stripper roll 16 whose teeth are similar in construction to those of the separating roll 9. This roll runs in close proximity to the bur remover and engages these now loosened wool fibers and transfers them around to mix with the incoming wool and be removed therewith by the stripper roll 11 and transferred to the collector or car rier cylinder 20. This carrier cylinder is of large size, its diameter being nearly three times that of the stripper roll, and. the peripheral speed proportionally as great. The teeth on this cylinder may be of the same general construction as those'on the stripper roll or any other desired shape but very much larger and are set a corresponding distance apart. These teeth as they run rapidly, pass those on the stripper roll, remove the wool therefrom and carry it over to the point 21 where it is engaged by the rapidly rotating dofier or discharge brush roll 22, the teeth of which engage and remove the wool from the teeth on this car rier roll and discharge it through the pipe 23 into a suitable receptacle not shown.

A rapidly driven cleaner brush roll 17 is mounted on the arm 18 and is adapted to be moved by means of the handle 19 into engagement with the separating roll 9 to clean it. The direction of its rotation may then he reversed, by mechanism not shown, and the brush shifted down into engagement with the stripper roll 16 to also clean it. Another rapidly rotating cleaner brush roll 26 is also provided for. cleaning the stripper roll 11 and the large feeding roll 5.

The burs from which nearly all of the fibers-particularly the long ones have now been stripped, those left being of a shorter staple, are fed forward on the lower apron 15 to the feeding-in rolls 27 and 28 and are again acted upon and treated by a set or series of mechanism which is substantially a duplicate of that already described, the burs being introduced to the feeding-in rolls 27 and 28 from which the fibers are drawn out or drafted by the separating roll 29, said fibers being removed from said separating roll by the large stripping roll 30, the burs now being somewhat broken, float on the surface of this layer and are engaged by the bur removing roll 31, said burs being again acted upon by the small stripper roll 32 to remove what few fibers may remain, the burs being then carried around over the grid 33 are engaged and forced down by the bur guard or fan 34 where they drop into the trough 35 provided with an in clined bottom 36 from whence they are removed by a blower 37 and deposited in any suitable receptacle. The fibers which have been collected by the stripper 30 are carried forward and are removed from said roll by means of the rapidly rotating brush roll 38. This brush roll 38 is adjustably mounted in a casing 39 which casing is provided with a door 40 leading to a separate receptacle and a door 41 which communicates with the chamber in which the carrier cylinder 20 rotates. By this construction when it is de sired to permit this shorter staple to mix with the longer staplepreviously treated it is only necessary to close the door 40 and open the door 41, whose edge when closed extends in close proximity to the teeth of the stripper 30, and at the same time withdraw the doffer brush 38 by means of the screw 50 and hand wheel 51 from contact with the stripper 30, thereby permitting the fibers to be carried around on the stripper to be engaged and removed by the large cylinder 20 and subsequently mixed with the other wool. But in many cases it is found desirable to keep this shorter staple separate from the longer, in which case the door 41 is closed and door 40 is opened, the brush is reset in contact with the stripper thus causing the Wool to be removed therefrom and deposited into a separate receptacle. After the wool has passed through this ma chine it is then ready to be washed to free the same from the animal grease. So far as I am aware, I am the first to provide a machine which will mechanically remove the burs and other impurities while the wool contains its animal grease.

A cleaner brush roll 42 is rotatably mounted on the arm 43 to be moved by the handle 44 into engagement with either roll 29 or 32 for cleaning either. In order to remove the dirt from the main collector or carrier cylinder 20 a cleaning roll 45 is provided which collects the dirt and deposits it into the box 46 from which it may be readily removed.

It will be understood that it is not necessary that all of the elements of the machine described be used conjointly since some of them might be used independently of the others advantageously, if desired.

I claim:

1. In a wool cleaning machine, the combination of a roll having pockets and teeth between said pockets, a second roll provided with means for introducing foreign matters into and retaining the same within said pockets, and a toothed roll for drawing wool fibers from matters while the latter are loosely restrained in said pockets.

2. In a wool cleaning machine, the combination of a roll having pockets, means cooperating with said roll to introduce foreign matters into and retaining the same within said pockets, and means for removing wool fibers from matters while the latter are loosely restrained in said pockets.

3. In a wool cleaning machine, the combination of a plurality of cooperating mem bers having bur receiving pockets, means for introducing burs into said pockets and retaining them therein, and means for drawing the wool from the burs while the latter are loosely held in said pockets.

4. In a wool cleaning machine, the combination of a roll having bur receiving means, means cooperating with said roll for introducing burs into and retaining the same within the bur receiving means, and means for removing wool from burs while the latter are loosely restrained by said roll.

5. In a wool cleaning machine, the combination of a rotative roll having bur receiving means, means cooperating with said roll for introducing burs into and retaining them within the bur receiving means, and a roll driven at a relatively higher speed and having provision for drawing wool from the burs while the latter are loosely held by said bur receiving roll.

6. In a wool cleaning machine, the combination of opposed toothed rolls, one having pockets and the other being formed to press foreign matters into said pockets as the wool is fed between said rolls, and means for re moving the wool from the foreign matters while the latter are loosely retained in said pockets.

7. In a wool cleaning machine, the combination of opposed rolls, one having longitudinal grooves into which burs or other matters are pressed by the other and teeth between said grooves for loosely retaining said burs and other matters while permitting fibers to be drawn therefrom.

8. In a wool cleaning machine, the combination of oppositely driven cooperating rolls, one having pockets and the other having means for pressing matters into said pockets as the wool is fed between said rolls, and means for removing the wool from the foreign matters while the latter are loosely retained in said pockets.

9. In a wool cleaning machine, the combination of a roll having pockets for loosely receiving burs and other matters, a roll for thrusting the latter into said pockets as the wool is fed between said rolls, a toothed licker roll receiving the wool from said rolls and arranged to draw the wool from the burs and other matters loosely held in said pockets; and a divider roll for removing said burs and other matters deposited by said pocket roll onto said licker roll,

10. In a wool cleaning machine, the combination of wool feeding means having provision for draftingthe wool and separating burs therefrom, means for removing some of the wool fibers from saidburs while loosely restraining the latter, means for further drafting the wool and further removing the wool fibers from the burs while again loosely restraining the latter, and means for removing the bare burs from the wool.

11. In a wool cleaning machine, the combination of wool feeding means, means for separating the burs from the wool and re moving some of the fibers from the burs while the latter are fed along with the main body of the wool, means to separate the burs from the main body of the wool and means to then remove the wool fibers remaining on the burs while the latter are loosely retained bysaid separating means.

12. In a wool cleaning machine, the combination of a movable surface having pro vision for loosely restraining burs and other foreign matters, means for causing burs, etc., to positively engage said surface so as to move therewith, and a surface cooperating therewith for unwinding and unwrapping the wool from the burs and the other foreign matters thus loosely restrained.

13. In a wool cleaning machine, the combination of a movable surface having provision for loosely restraining the foreign matters mixed in with the wool, means for causing said foreign matters to positively engage said surface so as to move therewith, and a draft roll having wool receiving grooves and teeth for unwinding and unwrapping the wool from the foreign matters thus loosely restrained.

14:. In a wool cleaning machine, the combination of relatively movable means, one having provision for loosely restraining foreign matters in the wool and the other hav ing provision for unwinding and unwrapping the wool from the foreign matters thus loosely restrained, and means for causing foreign matters to positively engage the restraining means.

15. In a wool cleaning machine, the com bination of a roll having pockets and teeth, means for forcing foreign matters from the wool into said pockets and means to remove any wool fibers carried by said foreign matters into said pockets.

16. In a wool cleaning machine, feeding means, a roll for receiving the wool from the feeding means, and having means for loosely retaining the burs therein, a second roll cooperating therewith to positively cause the burs to engage said retaining means, and a separator roll for "engaging and unwinding and unwrapping the wool from the burs while the latter are restrained by said retaining ,means.

17. In av wool cleaning machine, feeding means, rolls for receiving the wool from the feeding means, said rolls having cooperating pockets therein constructed to loosely retain the burs therein, and a separator roll for engaging and drawing the wool from the burs while the latter are restrained by said retaining pockets.

18. In a wool cleaning machine, feeding means, a pair of bur positioning rolls having teeth arranged in circular rows and the teeth in each row being in line longitudinally with each other, the teeth of the two rolls cooperating to form pockets for retaining the burs therein, and a separate roll for engaging andidrawing the wool from the burs while being retained in said retaining rolls.

19. In a wool cleaning machine, feeding means, a pair of rolls for receiving the wool from the feeding means, said rolls having complemental recesses forming pockets for loosely retaining the burs therein, and a separator roll for engaging and drawing the wool from the burs while the latter are restrained by said retaining pockets.

20. In a wool cleaning machine, means for feeding the Wool, rolls for separating the burs from the Wool, means for stripping the cleaned wool from said rolls, and means acting on said separating rolls after they are stripped for removing inpurities therefrom.

21. In a Wool cleaning machine, feeding means, a pair of bur positioning and WOOl restraining rolls, a separator roll for engaging and drawing the Wool from said rolls and opening the eb, a stripperroll for re moving the Web from said separating roll and bringing the burs to the outer surface, means for removing the burs from the surface of the Web While on the stripper roll, and a second stripper for acting upon the burs While in the bur remover and arranged to transfer its strippings to the separator roll.

22. In a WOOl cleaning machine, feeding means, a pair of toothed rolls for receiving and restraining and regulating the passage of the wool therethrough, a separator roll for engaging drafting and opening the Web, a stripper roll for removing the Wool and burs from said separating roll, a bur removing roll for striking the burs from the surface of the Web, and a second stripper roll for removing fibers from the burs While in the bur removing roll.

23. In a Wool cleaning machine, a pair of feeding-in rolls having intermeshing teeth adapted to press the burs to the surface of the Web, a separator roll for engaging the Wool from said feeding-in rolls for drafting and opening the Web, a stripper roll for removing the Web from said separating roll and bringing the burs to the outer surface, a bur removing roll for striking the burs from the surface of the Web, and means for removing the burs from the bur remover.

24, In a WOOl cleaning machine, a pair of feeding-in rolls having intermeshing teeth adapted to press the burs to the surface of the Web, a separator roll for engaging the WOOl from said feeding-in rolls for drafting and opening the Web, a stripper roll for removing the Web from said separating roll and bringing the burs to the outer surface, a bur removing roll for striking the burs from the surface of the Web, a set of grid bars over which the burs are dragged, means for removing the burs from the bur'remover, and guides for controlling the deposit of said burs.

25. In a Wool cleaning machine, a pair of feeding-in rolls having intermeshing teeth adapted to press the burs to the surface of the Web, a separator roll for engaging the wool from said feeding-in rolls anddrafting and opening the Web, a stripper roll for removing the Web from said separating roll and bringing the burs to the outer surface, a bar removing roll for striking the burs from the surface of the Web, means for removing the burs from the bur remover, and

a second stripper roll for removing fibers from the burs While retained in the bur removing roll.

26. In a Wool cleaning machine, a pair of feeding-in rolls having intermeshing teeth adapted to press the burs to the surface of the Web, a separator roll for engaging the WOOl from said feeding-in rolls for drafting and opening the Web, a stripper roll for removing the Web from said eparating roll and bringing the burs to the outer surface, a bur removing roll for striking the burs from the surface of the Web, a large toothed cylinder for removing the Wool from the stripper, and means for removing the W001 from said cylinder and discharging the same.

27. In a WOOl cleaning machine a pair of feeding-in rolls having intermeshing teeth adapted to press the burs to the surface of the Web, a separator roll for engaging the wool from said feeding-in rolls for drafting and opening the Web, a stripper roll for re moving the Web from said separating roll and bringing the burs to the outer surface, a roll having longitudinal spaced apart radial blades for striking the burs from the surface of the Web, a large toothed cylinder for removing the Wool from the stripper, and a rapidly rotating brush for removing the Wool from said cylinder and discharging the same.

28. In a Wool cleaning machine a pair of feeding-in rolls having intermeshing teeth adapted to press the burs to the surface of the Web, a separator roll for engaging the Wool from said feeding-in rolls for drafting and opening the Web, a stripper roll for removing the Web from said separating roll and bringing the burs to the outer surface, a bur removing roll for striking the burs from the surface of the Web, a second stripper roll for removing fibers from the burs While in the bur removing roll and depositing them upon the separating roll, a large toothed cylinder for removing the WOOl from the stripper, and means for removing the Wool from said cylinder and discharging the same.

29. In a WOOl cleaning machine, feeding means, a pair of bur positioning and Wool restraining rolls, a separator roll for drawing the Wool from said rolls and opening the Web, a roll for stripping the Wool from the separator roll and bringing the burs to the outer surface, a bladed bur removing roll, a second stripper acting on the burs in said last mentioned roll and depositing the fibers onto the said separator roll, a large carrier cylinder for conveying the Wool from said first stripper, a doffer brush for discharging the Wool from said carrier cylinder, and a brush for subsequently cleaning said cylinder.

30. In a Wool cleaning machine the combination of a plurality of bar positioning '5 mechanism for again acting upon the burs to remove any remaining, fibers therefrom, and adjustable means for controlling the delivery or deposit of the second lot of wool.

31. In a wool cleaning machine the combination of a plurality of bur positioning andwoo-l restraining rolls toothed rolls cooperating therewith for drafting and opening the web, means for acting upon and re-. moving burs from the web, a substantially duplicate setof mechanism for again acting upon the burs to remove any remainmg fibers therefrom, and means whereby the wool A delivered the second mechanism may be permitted to or prevented from mixing with the first lot when desired.

32.. In. a wool cleaning machine the combination of a pair of bur" positioning and restraining rolls, a toothed separator rolli cooperating' therewith for drafting and open- 5= ing the web, means for acting upon and removing burs from the web, means for removing the burs from the bur remover, a second set of mechanism for again acting upon the burs to remove any remaining fibers therefrom, a closure through. which the second lot of wool may be deposited to be again acted upon by the mechanism operating upon and mixed with the first lot when desired.

83-. In a wool cleaning machine the combination of a plurality of bur positioning rolls, toothed rolls cooperating therewith for drafting and opening the web, means for acting. upon and removing burs from the web, asuhstantially duplicate set of mechanism for again acting upon the burs to remove any remaining fibers therefrom, means for depositing the cleaned burs into said receptacle and pneumatic means for remov- 4 5 ing. the burs from said receptacle.

34.. In a wool cleaning machine, feeding means, bur positioningrolls', a separator roll for engaging the wool from said rolls and opening the web, astripper roll for removing the web from said separating roll andbringing the burs to the outer surface, means for removing the burs from the surface of the web while on the stripper roll, and a substantially duplicate set of mechanism for again acting upon the burs to remove any remaining fibers therefrom.

35. In a wool cleaning machine, feeding means, a pair of toothed r-olls for positioning the burs and restraining and regulating the passage of the wool therethrough, a separator roll for engaging drafting and 0 enin the web a stri 361 roll for removing the wool and burs from said separating roll, means for removing the burs and depositing them to be again acted upon a large toothed cylinder for removing the wool from the stripper, a rapidly rotating doffer brush for removing the wool from said cylinder and discharging the same, a second set of mechanism for again acting upon the burs to remove any remaining fibers therefrom, and means whereby the wool delivered by the second mechanism may be permitted to or prevented from being engaged by said cylinder and carried to mix with the first lot when desired.

36. In a wool cleaning machine the combination of a plurality of bur positioning and wool restraining rolls, toothed rolls c0- operating therewith for drafting and opening, the web, means for acting upon and removing burs from the web, a second set of mechanism for again acting upon the burs toremove any remaining fibers therefrom, a

dotfer' for acting upon the second set of Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Con'nnfssioner of Patents; Washington, D. 0. 

